Un-LTD-ed: Kawasaki KZ750 Street Scrambler

Slipstream Creations’ first Kawasaki build… 

When Honda released the CB750 in 1969, Kawasaki head engineer Ben Inamura didn’t focus on rivaling Honda’s 750cc four, but beating it. Three years later, the 900cc Kawasaki Z1 appeared…and the Zed legend was born. Inamura then developed what some called the “son of the Z1,” the KZ650/4:

“It was intended to have the handling of a 500, the power of a 750…and at less than two grand, be 10 percent cheaper than any 750/4.” -Clement Salvadori, Rider

Anyone who’s owned or ridden a KZ650 (we used to have in the BikeBound stable) will tell you the bike punches well above its displacement — the Zed lineage is undeniable. Around 1980, Kawasaki bored out the cylinders to 738cc to create the KZ750. It didn’t have 16-valve heads or any ground-breaking tech, but the KZ750/4 put 60+ horses to the rear wheel and earned a reputation for stone-ax reliability.

“Kawasaki gave a KZ750 to a magazine and said run it for 10,000 miles. Don’t do anything but add gas. It survived in spite of a very loose chain. Motorcyclist listed it as the most reliable/bullet-proof motorcycle. I believe it.” -John Slater, AFM 72

In the years to come, however, the KZ750 would be subject to one of the less fortunate trends in the history of Japanese motorcycle design. Our friend James Fawcett of Slipstream Creations, builder of the bike you see here, explains it thusly:

“The early ‘80s ushered in a style trend for Japanese motorcycle manufacturers that saw their classic UJM models evolve into cruisers, more like their American counterparts. Raked forks, stepped seats, and small tanks largely defined these bikes, and the 1980 Kawasaki KZ750 LTD was no exception.”

Given the wonky styling, wheel sizes, and geometry of these “cruiser-fied” LTD and Special models, they can be particularly challenging for custom builders. James is known far and wide for his incredible Honda builds, but this would be his first Kawasaki, and it arrived completely disassembled in a 4-foot-tall wooden crate. Fortunately, the man from Missouri was up to the task.

Below, James gives us the full story on Slipstream Creations’ first Kawasaki build, a fully transformed 750 LTD.

In the Builder’s Words…

When a customer from New York reached out to us looking to turn one of these bikes into a clean and modern street scrambler, we knew we were up for a challenge.

The owner had purchased this bike as a basket case and had acquired a handful of additional new parts to add to the mix. We received the motorcycle completely disassembled, in a 4-foot-tall wooden crate. After unboxing and inventorying all of the parts, we got to work on one of the biggest transformations we’ve made.

To address the overall lines and unwind some of that cruiser styling, we fabricated a custom subframe that gives the bike a nice horizontal beltline that runs clean from front to back.

We also fitted an earlier KZ650 tank to the frame, which required relocation of all the tank mounts. A custom steel seat pan and custom upholstered seat matched up with the frame and tank changes to give the Kawasaki an entirely different vibe.

We refinished the cast mag wheels in Cerakote and installed all new bearings and seals. With a 16” rear wheel, our options for dual sport tires were limited, but we were able to secure some nice Kenda 50/50 tires to provide traction.

One of the few requirements we got from this customer was to paint the tank in a Ford color called Green Gem Metallic, and to finish the wheels in a Burnt Bronze. We were able to create some custom Kawasaki graphics that work well with the dark metallic green, and we even added a subtle dark side panel and pinstripe on either side of the tank, that you can only really catch in the right light. A burnt bronze stripe ties the tank into the Cerakoted wheels nicely.

The engine was freshened up with new gaskets and seals and finished in a durable epoxy paint. The outer covers were all powder coated in textured black.

The carburetors were vapor honed and fitted with a DynoJet kit to provide the necessary fuel.

The customer had sent a new chrome muffler and 4-into-1 header along with the bike. After a few attempts to make that configuration work, it was clear that this was not the right style for our street scrambler. We ended up making a custom 4-into-2 exhaust system with reverse cone mufflers that exit on either side of the bike. This setup follows the frame more tightly and provides much better ground clearance for our scrambler styling. The entire system was Cerakoted in satin black.

The brakes also got an overhaul. New rotors and master cylinders were installed, and all the pistons were rebuilt, with fresh powder coated bodies and internals from Brake Crafters. Brake fluid is delivered through some custom stainless braided brake lines.

A custom fabricated steel battery box sits just above the swingarm and houses an 8-cell lithium battery. That powers all of our electronics, including LED lighting front and back.

The headlight and front turn signals are hung on a custom-fabricated headlight mount that keeps the lights tight to the frame, and also picks up the lines of the front of the tank. The rear lighting includes a custom-made taillight bucket that we machined out of billet aluminum to give us a consistent shape and profile with the rest of the lighting.

The taillight is mounted to a sleek custom rear fender whose primary purpose is to keep dirt and grime off the engine, and not the rider’s back. A matching front fender was mounted as well.

The cockpit is fitted with new vintage dirt bike style handlebars, reproduction Kawasaki controls, and mini tachometer and speedometer units with built-in LED indicator lights.

We tried to make this one of the cleanest KZ750 LTD transformations out there, and we definitely feel good about where we ended up. This bike is a lot of fun to ride, with loads of power, comfortable riding position, and plenty of ground clearance and traction for when the pavement ends. All the work to complete this custom Kawasaki scrambler was performed in-house — from custom metal fabrication, paint and graphics, powder coat, electronics, and upholstery.

Interested in your own custom build? Contact us.

Build Sheet

• KZ650 tank with custom paint
• Custom subframe
• Custom fabricated battery battery box
• Custom seat pan and seat upholstery
• Full LED lighting
• Custom fabricated headlight mount
• Custom fabricated taillight bucket
• Cerakoted custom 4-into-2 exhaust system
• Custom front and rear fenders
• Original cast mag wheels Cerakoted in Burnt Bronze
• Dual sport tires
• All of the little, big details

Follow the Builder

• Website: slipstreamcreations.com
• Facebook: @slipstreamcreations
• Instagram: @slipstreamcreations

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